The Minnesota Twins have announced that they have signed outfielder and Cedar Rapids native Ryan Sweeney to a minor league contract with an invitation to the Twins’ Major League spring training camp.

Sweeney, who will turn 31 years old in February, was originally selected by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the 2003 amateur draft. He was released by the Chicago Cubs at the end of spring training last year and was not picked up by another Major eague organization during the 2015 season.

His last appearance for the Cubs came on Aug. 26, 2014.

The Twins released a list of 22 players that were being invited to their Major League spring training on minor league contracts. Sweeney was one of four outfielders to get an invitation.

Torii Hunter, the Twins’ right fielder in 2015, announced his retirement following the season and Minnesota traded center fielder Aaron Hicks to the New York Yankees in November, potentially creating openings in their outfield for 2016. In addition, the club’s primary reserve outfielder, Shane Robinson, recently signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians.

The Twins will be hoping that top prospect Byron Buxton can take over the center field spot vacated with the Hicks trade and have indicated they will be attempting to move slugging third baseman Miguel Sano into the outfield as well.

Sweeney will be among at least 10 outfielders in the Twins’ Major League spring training clubhouse competing for a roster spot and could provide a veteran safety net for the Twins, should they decide their young corps of outfielders would be best served by opening the season in the minor leagues. He played all or parts of nine seasons with the White Sox, Athletics, Red Sox and Cubs.

Sweeney has a career .276 batting average in the Major Leagues with 23 home runs and 224 RBIs. He had a two-year contract with the Cubs that paid him $3.5 million for 2014 and 2015.